Southern California Edison could shut off power for thousands of customers in Santa Barbara County starting Tuesday night since gusty winds are forecast for the region.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for windy, dry, warm conditions that create a higher risk of wildfires.
Edison says public safety power shutoffs are possible between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 9 p.m. Wednesday. They would affect 4,182 customers.
Edison opened a community resource center with chargers, restrooms and other services at the Residence Inn in Goleta at 6350 Hollister Ave.
Los Angeles and eastern Ventura counties are expecting extreme fire conditions Tuesday and Wednesday, leading the NWS to use the rare “particularly dangerous situation” designation.
“This is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather,” officials said.
The Red Flag conditions apply to the Santa Ynez Mountains and interior mountains in Santa Barbara County. A wind advisory is also in effect for the South Coast until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
As of Tuesday morning, the NWS reported wind gusts of 69 mph in the Montecito Hills and 53 mph on Camino Cielo. There were widespread reports of gusts in the 30-50 mph range throughout the South Coast and foothill areas overnight.
Gusts of 47 mph were reported in Tepusquet Canyon east of Santa Maria, the area where a wildfire burned 42 acres last week.
If a fire starts, there’s a high risk it would spread rapidly, have extreme fire behavior, and have long-range spotting, which can threaten life and property, said Santa Barbara County Fire Department Capt. Scott Safechuck.
Downed trees, downed power lines and power outages are also possible with the high winds, he noted.
Fire officials advised people to be prepared for wildfires, report any signs of smoke to 9-1-1, and avoid spark-producing activities. Certain hiking trails in the South Coast front country are closed during red flag warnings because of the high fire risk in those areas.
Residents are also advised to charge electronic devices, in case of power outages, and park cars away from trees in case of downed branches.
Click here for the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.